Arraignment Continued For Fort Smith Man Accused In January Slaying

Arraignment Continued For Fort Smith Man Accused In January Slaying

A Sebastian County Circuit Court judge on Wednesday continued the arraignment of a man charged with murder in the January strangulation death of a Fort Smith woman.

Kevyphonh Sounyaphong, 59, was arrested Monday at Rheem on suspicion of first-degree murder in the Jan. 24 death of 50-year-old Sakounsouk Vilayhong.

When he appeared before Circuit Court Judge Stephen Tabor, via video from the Sebastian County Adult Detention Center, Sounyaphong said he hired a Little Rock attorney to represent him, although no attorney appeared on his behalf in court or filed an entry of appearance with the circuit clerk’s office prior to Sounyaphong’s court appearance.

Tabor told Sounyaphong he would continue his arraignment until Aug. 28, unless an attorney entered an appearance with the circuit clerk’s on his behalf before then.

Sounyaphong’s bail remained at $500,000.

Fort Smith police interviewed Sounyaphong twice earlier in its investigation, and questioned him about being at the Choctaw Casino in Pocola after determining Vilayhong was there the same day she was killed.

Sounyaphong initially denied being at the casino that day, before later telling investigators he was there from 9 a.m. on Jan. 24 until 5 a.m. on Jan. 25, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

Sounyaphong voluntarily provided police with a DNA sample, while investigators also obtained his cellphone records.

The cellphone records placed Sounyaphong at the casino when Vilayhong was there Jan. 24, and also placed him in the area of her home around the time investigators believe Vilayhong was killed, according to the affidavit.

DNA extracted from hair hairs found on Vilayhong also matched DNA he provided to police, according to the affidavit.

Vilayhong’s husband, Samdy Vilayhong, found his wife dead in the living room of their residence in the 2100 block of Kelley Highway.

As he was walked from the police department to the detention center Monday afternoon, Sounyaphong claimed he didn’t kill Vilayhong.

First-degree murder is a Class Y felony punishable by 10 to 40 years or life in prison.